Is your Brand having trouble connecting to your audience? Poor Sales? Your Brand is lost in the clutter? Times have changed and your Brand needs a new look? If the answer to some or all of these questions is yes, then you need to rebrand.
Rebranding takes a lot of time, to integrate it all over the brand takes at least six months and for the consumers to get used to it takes at least 2 years, so if you are bored or having a minor crisis, rebranding is not the solution.
It is of extreme importance to know the WHY? In your rebranding, your whole plan or strategy of rebranding should revolve around the reason behind the decision of Rebranding. Remembering this throughout the planning or implementing phase is essential.
Check this: How To Rebrand Your Business With These Golden Rules
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There are many reasons why Brands tend to rebrand themselves, two of the most common ones are:
- Changes of business ownership, mergers, or acquisitions.
- Changing times.
The second one is more interesting as the Brand is not forced it decides on its’ own analysis and research. Changing times was the reason behind a lot of huge giants like Pepsi and McDonald’s have rebranded more than once.
Rebranding is basically creating a newer, fresh, and more appealing brand image, Brands like McDonald’s and Pepsi have rebranded and it is just shown by the change in the logo, but it was more than that, they developed their brand story, they modified their brand personality with the changing times, and now they have a whole story of how the brand grew up. Rebranding is tough, so unless you are completely sure, then avoid it.
Related Article: 8 Steps To Get You On The Right Path To Branding Your Business
However, if you are completely sure, then follow these tips for successful rebranding:
1. Reanalyze Your Mission, Vision, and Values
Obviously, something is not going right that is why you have chosen to rebrand, now look for the issue in the foundations of the brand. Stick to your Vision, you should not and cannot change your vision or values anytime things go bad, just reanalyse it. Try to remember why did this brand start? What need or product was to be satisfied by this Brand?
Answering questions like these will help you and your Brand realize your goals and your dreams, and maybe where you went wrong along the way, it helps you reflect. Your team and your brand should be completely inclined with your Mission, Vision, and Values before starting the rebranding campaign.
2. Build Your Brand Story
Rebranding is a great way to build your brand story, in the coming years when you will look back at your rebranding, you will realize how the brand grew up and how far has it come.
Rebranding should always have a story behind it which should be known, it gives the brand more credibility, authenticity and the potential consumers start believing in your brand as they see the brand is honest and has a story of success and failures.
Check this: How To Build a Decent Brand Logo
3. Remember Your Existing Customers
Do not pretend like this is a completely new beginning, your brand was out there in the market, creating an identity, now maybe it was not much, but a few of your stakeholders mainly your existing consumers believe in the brand, that is why the brand is surviving, you have to give value to them.
They are an integral part of your brand, they have supported you and been honest with your brand, they are the ones who will help you reach the new levels so always give them the value they deserve, moreover do not completely shift your voice of tone or brand personality to push them away. Retain your existing customers.
4. Be Clear and Specific when Changing Brand Name or Logo
The Brand Name and Logo are not the Brands but they are the main look or how would consumers perceive the brand, a change in any of these should be absolutely strategic, it may be that your existing brand name is not clear about what the brand is about, brainstorm and then come up with a new name and changing a brand name is a long process, hence slowly integrate the brand name change.
Modifying, changing, or tweaking the logo has been done many times by the giants, and the main reason is the changing times or as for McDonald’s and Apple, they wanted to create a crazy recall of their brand, just think as soon as you see a yellow M, what comes to your mind? Most brands have faced backlash after changing the logo, but eventually, people adapt to your new look.
Check this: 50 Best Logos Of 2020
5. Seek Feedback & Ideas from Multiple Sources
Your team and your existing customers will be on the journey of rebranding the Brand, include them in the brainstorming sessions, get a representative of every department to give ideas and feedback about what issues the brand face in this journey can and how to tackle them.
Let your existing customers know, get their feedback, and integrate it into your rebranding strategy as they are the ones who create your brand moreover some details are only visible on the outside, not the inside, their feedback will come in handy in the strategy.
6. Create a Rock Solid Rebranding Strategy
To pull a successful rebrand, you need a solid plan and a team that follows it and makes it happen. Feedbacks and the input of the department representatives will help in making a detailed and robust plan, keeping in check every aspect.
Have a thorough plan which consists of the communication process, timelines, how you plan it to announce it to the world, the strategic plan should have every minor detail included.
7. Be Prepared for Criticism
Humans are not very fond of change, they like the way things are, they adapt to it. This is human nature therefore prepare your Brand and your team for a backlash, as most of the time, audiences have not responded well to rebranding.
However, it takes time and they adapt eventually so do not let the criticism derail your Brand, if you have a solid plan and strategy in place, follow it!
8. Prevail Over Past Perceptions
The hardest part of the rebranding is overcoming the past perceptions about your brand, which was the main reason behind the rebranding. Unless you are completely rebranding, keep the positive elements of your brand with and accept them.
The added or modified brand personality or brand image should have such a positive impact that your market will eventually forget about the brand before the rebranding, obviously this takes time so be patient and believe in the process.
9. Internal Transition
It is always better to softly integrate the rebranding strategies within the firm, it helps the brand understand the shortcomings and the issues that should be solved within to have a successful rebranding.
Moreover, your team takes time to accept the rebranding and then starts to own the new look which is imperative for the Brand and the Teams behind to pull of a Rebranding.
Related Article: Some Great Tips for Graphic Designers as Per New Trends
10. Rebrand and Announce
Do remember rebranding is not done within months, it is completed when every stakeholder including your potential consumers recognizes the new and modified Brand, Therefore be persistent in the ups and downs of rebranding.
There are a couple of ways a Brand announces, first is when the brand slowly and gradually integrates the rebranding and the audience just get adapted gradually, and then the brand announces that it has rebranded.
The other one is going all out and announcing to the world, that we are Rebranding and then within a month, be the new brand on every single medium and platform.
These tips and tricks will help you in pulling off a successful Rebranding, 2021 proved to be a very different year for every industry, changing many dynamics in marketing, advertising, and rebranding.
Rebranding in the coming years would be easier but more complex, as your Brand will have to be Rebranded at the same time across all digital media platforms as well as outdoors wherever your brand is psychically present. Just stick to your strategy and integrate it across all platforms and have an effective rebrand.
I think Branding is a marketing practice in which a business makes efforts to increase brand awareness and distinguish itself in a crowded market.
Nice tips thanks
HI @Nazi,
Thank you for your appreciation and comment.